Dear Workforce
Q: How Could We Recruit Workers From Nearby Places
We’re working on recruitment activities for a retail business in the seasonal tourist area of Nags Head, North Carolina. We’ve exhausted local hiring and are targeting qualified workers who live 50 miles from our place of business. We’re considering providing those we hire with a transportation subsidy, and have analyzed its impact on our bottom line. What else can we do to recruit and, more importantly, retain these people?
A:
Dear Casting a Wide Net:
My first question: how do you know you've exhausted the local market? A creative, edgy advertising campaign is always the first step in any recruiting program. Unless you've done this, I wouldn't abandon the local market quite yet.
That said, however, I recommend a recruitment marketing program specifically targeted to your demographic. This means well-placed ads, long, compelling, and visible titles in the appropriate sites (camps, resorts, summer vacation rentals, etc.) that extol the virtues of your opportunity. Try something like this: "Work, Play, Become at this innovative retail establishment."
You would need to make the marketing material compelling, and have it focus on a unique theme specific to the business. For example:
"This Summer Become an American Idol at Grumpy's Deli."
"Make this Summer One to Remember."
Long titles are important. You must stand out from the crowd and offer the reader something fun or unique. Reinforce the title with punchy copy that describes opportunities, rather than lists skills. The right mix: 75 percent of the ad should focus on what's in it for the prospective candidates, with no more than 25 percent focusing on skills and/or experience.
End the ad with a call to action. "Make this a summer you'll never forget. Send us your resume now. Our store is waiting for you to become our best assistant manager ever. So is every resident of Nags Head, where all your new neighbors and friends live. We can't wait for you to arrive. If you stay long enough, you might even become the mayor someday."
Always have fun with the ad. Make it touching, warm, and engaging. The key: be different--and focus on the candidate, not the business.
SOURCE: Lou Adler,Adler Concepts, Tustin, California, April 29, 2003.
LEARN MORE: Please readWhat Are Good Recruiting Metrics?
The information contained in this article is intended to provide useful information on the topic covered, but should not be construed as legal advice or a legal opinion. Also remember that state laws may differ from the federal law.
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